Direct reading clock and the like



Dec. 17, 1935.

R. J. POWERS DIRECT READING CLOCK AND THE LIKE Filed June 24, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet l c0 17, 1935. R. J. POWERS 2,024,598

DIRECT READING CLOCK AND THE LIKE Filed June 24, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 W W4 if; 44/ Xi z; 23 2 Q/M I [in] I 6M a &7

Patented Dec. 17, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 11 Claims.

The present invention relates to direct reading clocks, by which I mean clocks of which the time indications are given by changeable numerals, visible through an opening or openings in an opaque cover which conceals all other numbers except those indicating the present time, rather than by hands or pointers in connection with a dial which shows all the numerals at the same time. It is embodied in a series of plates or boards on which the different symbols are exhibited, combined with a synchronously running motor and mechanism by which the motor changes the number indicating plates at regular intervals of time. The invention further comprises an indicator changing mechanism which is applicable to other purposes than the specific one indicating the present time; for instance, for advertising purposes by the use of plates or cards on which advertising matter is displayed, and for other possible uses as well. Therefore the protection which I claim is not restricted to clocks, but includes all the new factors of means, mechanisms and combinations herein disclosed, and their equivalents, for all purposes to which they are adapted.

One of the prime objects of the invention is to enable indicators of maximum height to be substituted for one another and reversed in a given space; whereby, other things being equal, less room is required for changing the indicators than with the apparatus of this class heretofore produced. Another is toefiect substitution of one indicator for another at the view point, practically instantaneously, and at a speed which is independent of the rate of revolution of the series of indicators.

Fig. 1 of the drawings is a perspective View of an encased clock containing the invention;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the clock mechanism removed from the case;

Fig. 3 is an elevation as seen from the right of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section and partial elevation taken on line 44 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a cross section on line 5-5 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is a cross section on line 6-6 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 7 is a cross section on line 1-1 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 8 is a sectional view showing a modification of one feature of the invention taken on the location of line 88 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of one of the indicator plates;

Figs. 10, 11, 12 and 13 are detail views of the several ratchet wheels by which the plate carriers are rotated;

Fig. 14 is a perspective view of the pawl which drives the indicator of lowest order;

Fig. 15 is a similar View of the pawl which drives the two indicators of higher orders;

Fig, 16 is a perspective view of one of the 5 disks forming part of the plate carriers;

Fig. 17 is a fragmentary perspective view showing a variation in the connection between a plate and its carrying disk.

Like reference characters designate the same parts wherever they occur in all the figures.

The mechanism as here shown, which is designed to show hours, minutes, and seconds, is supported by a frame consisting of plates ll, 12 and I3 connected by tie members H, which may be rods supporting spacing sleeve between the plates and having nuts screwed on their ends outside of the outermost frame plates. The indicators are flat plates I6, I! and I8, for the hours, tens of minutes, and unit minutes, respectively, 20 and are freely suspended from rotatable carriers in a manner which permits the plates to be reversed in passing through the upper part of their orbits. The carriers are .disks I9, I9, 20, 20 and 2|, 2|, arranged in pairs, each having pins 22 (Fig. 16) projecting from one face toward the other disk of the pair. Those of each pair are tied to one another and to a driving ratchet wheel, by a tube 23 having a head 24 on one end and a nut 25 screwed on its opposite end; and they are spaced apart by a sleeve 26. The sleeves of the three carrier assemblages are strung in tandem on a rod 21 which passes through all of the frame plates and is positioned by nuts 28 on its opposite ends.

The number or indicator plates have guide slots 29 in their opposite edges which receive the pins of the flanking pair of disks. Theseslots or grooves may be made in any desired fashion and are conveniently formed in the outer side of binding strips 30 which embrace opposite edges of the sheet metal indicator plates, as shown with respect to the hour indicating plate IS in Fig. 6. These slots or grooves are closed at both ends at a distance from the adjacent end of the indicator plate or binding strip less than the radial distance of the pins from the spacing sleeve 26, whereby room is provided for the indicator plates to swing around the supporting pins for reversal.

The mode of such reversal will be apparent from Fig. 6, which shows the carrier for the six hour indicating plates designated respectively as I I6, l6a, l6b, I60, [6d and 5e. Assuming the carrier to be turning intermittently in the direction of the arrow of Fig. 6, through one-sixth of a turn at each step, the plate [3c is held in approximately horizontal position by its suspension pins [9a near the end, and by resting on the upper edge of the next plate Ifid at a distance from the forward end. During the next step of rotation, which subtends in the example shown, plate We is carried forward and at the same time its rear end is raised, untilit passes the critical angle, whereupon it drops by gravity into the position of plate IS. The end which was formerly at the rear, (and before that was the bottom end), now becomes the top end, and the side which was at the front when it previously came into view is now at the back and the rear side is turned to the front. Thus each plate in passing through the cycle is reversed when it comes into visible position at the front of the frame, which is the position of the plate designated l8; whereby six plates sufiice to display all of the numbers indicating the twelve hours. v

In similar fashion the plates 18 indicating the units of minutes are reversed in coming into view, whereby five plates suflice to display all of the ten units from zero to nine.

The tens of minutes in the hour are designated by only six digits, i. e., those from zero to five, whereby three plates would suffice except for the mechanical difiiculties of turning the carrier through one-third of a rotation with each change of numbers. But as it is not feasible to turn this carrier through so wide an angle at each step,

' I have provided six plates carrying two sets of numbers from zero to five arranged in correct sequence. This, however, is for mechanical convenience in the interest of simplicity, and not a necessity.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that the rotary carriers may hold various numbers of indicators, and that many more than six can be carried by the same one provided enough space is given for the corresponding number of pins and for the swinging and sliding movement of the plates necessary for their reversal.

The motive mechanism in the present embodiment includes as the prime mover a synchronous self starting electric motor adapted to be driven by alternating electric current. Such a motor is shown at 3| in Figs. 2 and 5. I have adopted for present illustration a well known commercial type of such motor which may be bought in the open market, and needs no description in detail. But instead of an electric motor I may use a spring motor, such as a spring clock movement having suflicient pcwer to do the work required of it.

As the motor runs continuously while the indicators are moved only intermittently, I apply the power of the motor to store energy in a spring, which is released at the proper times to drive a pawl or pawls which turn the ratchets of the respective indicator carriers. The spring above referred to is shown at 32 in Figs. 2 and '7. It is anchored to one of the tie members I4 and connected to an arm 33 secured, as by a set screw 34, to a rock shaft 35 which turns in the frame plates. The outer end of this rock shaft, outside of plate l3, carries a bell crank lever 35%, 33, the hub of which is secured to the shaft by a set screw 31. Arm 36 of this bell crank lever carries a cam follower pin 38, equipped with a roll which bears on the rim of a. cam 39. Said cam is secured firmly to the power delivering shaft 40. of the motor, whereby it is driven at the rate of one complete rotation per minute. Its propelling surface has a gradual and uniform rise extending through nearly 360, and a sudden drop at 4| in the remainder of the circumference, shaped to permit rapid movement of the bell crank lever by spring 32.

Arm sec of the bell crank operates a pawl 42 which has a hook or finger 43 (see particularly Fig. 14) arranged to engage the teeth of a ratchet M secured to the units indicator carrier. A spring 55 connected to the pawl 42 and bellcrank arm 3% urges the pawl yieldingly toward the ratchet.

A holding pawl 46 is pivoted by a stud 4? to the frame plate i3 and is urged by gravity, augmented by a loading weight 48, so that a latch 49 on the holding pawl will catch behind the last passing tooth on the ratchet. At each stopping point of each plate carrier, one of the plates is in a nearly horizontal position, as is shown by Figs. 5 and 6, while all, or nearly all, of the others hang freely downward. The rearwardly projecting plate tends to turn the carrier backward,

' which is of advantage in that it holds the engaged ratchet tooth firmly against the holding pawl as soon as the propelling pawl has completed its thrust, whereby the assemblage is accurately located and prevented from oscillating.

A similar driving pawl 50, Figs. 7 and 15, is driven in unison with pawl 42. Both pawls are made fast to a rod 5!, the ends of which are rotatably supported in the bell crank lever arm 350 and in a parallel arm 52 secured to rock shaft 35. Indeed the hub 53 of the arm 52 is the part in which the set screw 34 previously described is mounted, and the spring impelled arm 33 is conveniently made of a rod driven at one end into said hub. Pawl 52 has two fingers 54 and 55 which propel ratchets 53 and 57 respectively, the former of which is secured to the carrier of the tens indicating plates and the latter to the carrier of the hour indicators.

For the proper timing of the indicators to show the changing hours and minutes of the day, the tens indicator carrier is turned one step with each tenth step of the units indicator carrier, and the hour indicator carrier is turned one step with each sixth step of the tens indicator carrier. As the units carrier makes a complete rotation in five steps, it must rotate twice in order to take the ten steps necessary before each step of the tens indicator carrier. ling the pawls, which vibrate in unison with each rotation of the cam 39, and causing them to propel the several ratchets selectively at the proper intervals, is as follows:

The ratchet 44 has circular arcs 44a between its teeth, on which the finger 43 of the driving pawl bears. Four of these arcs are of equal radius, and the finger 43 is of such length in proportion to the finger 54 of pawl 56 as to cause the latter finger to pass over the teeth of ratchet 56 whenever finger 43 bears on any of the arcs 44a. The fifth arc, designated 45b in Fig. 10, is of shorter radius and permits approach of both pawls toward the common axis of the ratchets far enough to permit engagement of a tooth on ratchet 53 by pawl finger 54. The tooth Mic in advance of this latter, arc is propelled by the pawl 42 whenever the minutes indicator changes from four to five, and again when it changes from nine to zero. But in order to prevent driving of the tens indicator carrier when the minute indication changes from four to five, I provide a cam 58 loosely mounted on the outer end of the pivot rod 21' and fastened to gear 62, which is driven from ratchet 44 through a reducing gear The means for control- 0 Cir train 59, 60, 6|, so as to turn through half a revolution for each complete rotation of the ratchet 44. A second finger 63 on pawl 42 rides on the circular high dwell of the cam, and is permitted by a recessed portion 64 of the cam surface to descend to the full depth of the notch bounded by the arc 44b of ratchet 44 whenever such recessed portion coincides with the deep notch of the ratchet. This occurs once in each second rotation of the ratchet, when the units indicator is about to bring the zero indication into position.

Shifting of the hour indicator ratchet 5'! is' controlled by ratchet 56 in a manner similar to the control of the latter by ratchet 44. That is, the ratchet 56 is formed with five interdental circumferential arcs 56a of equal radius such that when the finger 54 of pawl 56 bears upon any of them, the shorter finger 55 of this pawl iscaused to pass over the teeth of ratchet 57 without engaging them. The sixth are 562') is of shorter radius sufficient to permit engagement of finger 55 with a tooth of ratchet 5! whenever finger 54 enters the notch bounded by said arc. The notch bounded by are 44b of ratchet 44 is deeper than that bounded by arc 56b of ratchet 55, whereby sufficient displacement of pawl 42 toward the ratchet axis is permitted to cause the selective operation of the pawl 56, controlled by ratchet 56 as just described.

Backward movement of the tens and hours driving ratchets is prevented by holding pawls 65 and 66, of essentially the same character as the holding pawl 46, which are pivoted on a pin 67 mounted in the intermediate plate l2 of the frame.

A seconds indicator may be provided in addition to the indicator previously described. Such seconds indicator is here shown as a cylindrical drum 68 having numbers on its circumference, carried by a short shaft 69 journaled in the frame plate 93 and carrying a pinion 76 which is driven from the motor shaft 46 by a pinion H on the latter and an idle gear 12 which is pivoted by a stud 53 to the frame plate.

I have provided also means to prevent swinging of the pendent indicator plates after they have dropped into visible position. Two such means are shown for combined action in Figs. 2 and 5. One is a shaft i4 journaled in the frame plates directly beneath the front indicator plates and carrying rolls 15 at such a height that the bottom edge of each falling plate strikes the top side of the roll before the upper ends of its guide slots 29 reach the carrying pins 22. Such rolls may be of softand yielding character, as rubber, of a soft composition or spongy formation, felt or the like, in order to eliminate noise. They are conveniently driven in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 5 by a pinion 16 on the end of shaft l4 meshing with the idle gear 12. Such rotation moves the lower edge of the number plate to the rear and allows it to descend to the limit of its guide grooves.

The other oscillation preventer is a light leaf spring Ti carried by a clamp 75 which embraces the forward bottom spacing bar l4 and is adjusta-ble angularly about the same. The upper end of this spring slightly overlaps the lower edge of. the next to the front number plate and prevents it from swinging, while it readily permits the plate which engages it to be passed over it with the next step of the carrier.

This last named means may be used without the cooperation of the r011 15 above described, as is shown .by Fig. 8; in which case it is adjusted so as to hold the next to the front number plate forward far enough to limit the swing of the down dropping front plate. Each of the sets of indicators may be provided with such an oscillation preventer, although its necessity is less with the hours and tens of minutes indicators, on account of their infrequent changing and because of the larger number of such indicators, than with the frequently changed minutes indicators. Also the roll may be used without the leaf spring device.

Other means than a yielding stop in the nature of the roll 15 may be substituted to eliminate noise of the dropping indicator plates. For instance, soft or resilient buffers may be set in the ends of the guide slots 29.

Guideways equivalent to the slots 29 may be constructed otherwise than as above described. For example, I have shown in Fig. 17 one possible variation which consists in substituting for the pins 22 equivalent slotted pins 22| rotatably mounted in the holding disks and adapted to receive in their slotted ends the edges of the numplates 5 8 I. Such plates are equipped at opposite ends cf their side edges with stops [9 of any suitable design and character, preferably resilient.

The movement or mechanism herein described is mounted for use and operation in a case 89 g. 1), having a front plate 8| which is opaque except for the windows 82, 83, 84 and 85, through which the indicators are singly visible. The clock case may be made in any form and design for use in any location; or the movement may be set into an aperture in the wall which is covered by a member analogous to the front plate 3 i, having windows or side openin s.

An important and valuable feature of the invention is that the indicators in the reading position are brought close to the cover plate and 40 quire for changing only a minimum depth of space, both vertically and in the front to rear direction, in proportion to their height. The change from one indication to the next is virtually instantaneous, for the driving pawls are moved rapidly by the spring 32 under control of cam 39 .nd the next indicator drops into the front posiion with gravitational acceleration as soon as tilted beyond the critical angle. But before happens the preceding indicator remains in for it is moved downward only short 'ance (from the position I 6 to position Ito of 6, or from position i8 to l8a of Fig. 8) in i ing way to the following indicator. However, he speed of revolution of the whole assemblage is not a factor of the speed with which each following indicator comes into view. As its movement when first coming into view is effected solely by gravity, the rapidity of that movement is independent of the rotational speed of the carrier, and also of whether the carrier is moved continuously or intermittently.

The application of the fundamental invention hereinbefore described to the use of exhibiting advertising or other matter on plates or cards of any desired dimension, instead of symbols designating points and periods of time, will be obvious without further explanation. The indicator plates, or equivalent elements, may of course be made with any desired specific dimensions.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. An indicator comprising a carrier rotatable about a horizontal axis and having axially separrc3 lag;

rated sets of plate-supporting studs, indicator 75 plates each slidingly and rotatably engaged at its opposite edges with alined studs of both sets with capacity for reversal end for end by a combinati-on of rotation and endwise translation with respect to said studs, and means for rotating said carrier; the arrangement being such that the plates overlap one another and each plate in passing through the upper side of its orbit rests on the next following plate until inclined to the critical angle of sliding friction, arriving at such critical angle while still rearward of the front side of the carrier, whereupon it slides downward until arrested with its formerly trailing edge uppermost.

2. An indicator comprising a pair of axially separated disks connected together and mounted to rotate in unison about a horizontal axis, a series of angularly spaced studs carried by each disk protruding toward the other disk, each in alinement with a corresponding stud on the other disk, and an indicator plate rotatably and slidingly engaged with each pair of so alined studs with capacity for endwise displacement with respect to said studs throughout substantially its entire length; the plates being longer than the linear distance between the studs of either series.

3. An indicator comprising a carrier rotatable about a horizontal axis and having two circular series of studs concentric with said axis, and separate from one another lengthwise of the axis, theseveral studs of each set being alined with corresponding studs 0f the other set on lines parallel to said axis, indicator plates each having a sliding and rotatable engagement at its opposite edges with a pair of such alined studs, the plates being substantially longer than the circumferential'distance between successive studs, whereby they overlap one another and each plate in passing through the upper part of its orbit rests on the next following plate until raised to so nearly vertical position with its center of gravity above its supporting studs that it is free to slide downward under gravity, whereupon it slides downward until arrested with its former trailing edge uppermost; and means for rotating said carrier.

4. An indicating apparatus comprising a rotatable carrier, a series of indicators, connecting means between said carrier and indicators, said connecting means being arranged in circular series about the axis of rotation of the carrier and substantially equidistant from said axis, and being constructed to permit endwise sliding displacement and reversing rotation of the indicators with respect to the carrier; the indicators being longer in the direction of their sliding movement, and having a range of sliding movement greater, than the circumferential distance between successive indicators and connecting means.

5. An indicating apparatus opaque wall having a window, a carr1er mounted to rotate on a horizontal axis back of said wall and at a level approximating that of the top of said window, studs on said carrier arranged'in axially separated circular series coaxial with the axis of rotation, with the studs of each series projecting severally toward corresponding alined studs of the other series, indicator plates in slidcomprising an ing and rotatable connection at their opposite side edges severally with the alined studs in such fashion as to be reversible, back for face and vice versa, and to hang in either position of reversal .from the supporting studs, said plates being longer than the circumferential distances between adjacent studs and their capacity for sliding movement being substantially as great as their entire length, and means for so rotating said carrier as to bring the plates successively toward said front wall as they traverse the upper part of their orbit.

6. An indicating apparatus as set forth in claim .5, combined with a yieldable stop back of the wall below the window and in position to arrest each plate with a minimum of shock and noise as it drops after passing the highest point of its orbit.

'7. In an indicator apparatus comprising a revoluble carrier having supporting studs arranged in axially separated and alined pairs and in cir cular series equidistant from the axis of revolution, indicator plates pendent having grooves in their opposite side edges nearly as long as the plates and closed at opposite ends, each plate containing loosely in its grooves the studs of one pair of studs, whereby the plates are slidingly and rotatably supported, said plates being longer than the circumferential distance between adjacent studs of the circular series, and a leaf spring extending upwardly from a point below the plates, overlapping the lower edge of one of the pendent plates to prevent swinging move ment thereof when in pendent position.

8. An indicating apparatus as set forth in claim '7, in which the leaf spring is in a position thus to engagethe plate next behind the one which is in indicating position.

9. An indicating apparatus as set forth in claim '7, in which the leaf spring is adjustable, as to the part thereof which engages the plates, in a forward and rearward direction.

10. An indicating apparatus as set forth in claim 5 combined with a stop roll mounted rotatably back of the wall and below the window in position to arrest the lower edge of each plate, means for rotating said roll in a direction to displace the plate supported thereon toward the rear, and a leaf spring in rear of and below said roll in position to be engaged by the lower edge of the plate after leaving the roll, whereby to prevent swinging of the plate.

11. An indicating apparatus comprising a shaft, a pair of axially separated stud carriers secured to said shaft, studs rotatably mounted each of said carriers in series concentric with the shaft, the several studs of one carrier extending toward and being alined with corresponding studs of the other series in lines substantially parallel to the shaft, the studs being slotted in their protruding parts, and indicator plates each contained at its' opposite edges in slots of a pair of alined studs and being slidable endwise in such slots, the plates having stop means near their ends to limit the extent of such sliding move-- ment; and the studs being spaced apart circularly of the axis by distances less than the length of the plates.

RICHARD J. POWERS. 

